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| Ultrasound of the kidneys |
A kidney ultrasound is a radiological test that uses sound waves to examine your kidneys. It can check the size, shape, and location of your kidneys. It also allows your doctor to know the extent of blood flow to your kidneys. According to the University of Rochester, USA.
Why do I need a kidney ultrasound?
You may need a kidney ultrasound if your doctor thinks you may have a problem with your kidneys. These problems include:
A watery cyst on the kidneys.
-tumor
-abscess
Fluid accumulation
-infection
Kidney stone
You may also have a kidney ultrasound to help:
Taking a sample of kidney tissue (biopsy)
Drainage of fluid from a cyst or abscess
Putting a drain tube in place
Seeing how blood flows to the kidneys through the renal arteries and veins
The doctor may also use ultrasound after a kidney transplant to see how well the transplanted kidney is working.
Ultrasound uses a transducer that sends ultrasound waves at a frequency too high to be heard. An ultrasound transducer is placed on the skin, and the ultrasound waves travel through the body to the organs and structures inside.
The sound waves bounce off the organs like an echo and return to the transducer. The transducer processes the reflected waves, which are then converted by a computer into an image of the organs or tissues being examined.
Sound waves travel at different speeds depending on the type of tissue encountered - faster through bone tissue and slower in air The speed at which sound waves are returned to the transducer, as well as how much the sound wave is returned, is translated by the transducer as different types of tissue.